Improvement in reverberatory furnaces



J. wEsTERMAN. Reve'rberatory Furnaces.

Patented Dec. 8,1872.

frwanar al* Om SAM-SLD PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES WESTERMAN, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA.

lMPRovl-:MENT |N REvERBERA'ToRv FuRNAcEs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,688, dated December 3, 1872.

To albwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I,JAMES WESTERMAN,

\ of Sharon, in the countyv of Mercer and State of Pennsylvania, have invented' certain new pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in fur- -naces for puddling, boiling, or heating iron or steel, 85e.; and the invention consists in the the construction and arrangement of devices whereby the carbon or smoke is readily and completely consumed, while at the same time the metal is more readily decarbonized, purilied, and refined, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure lis a side elevation of a 'furnace suitable for puddlin g or heating iron or steel; Fig. 2 is a plan view with part of the top removed to showin terior; Fig. 3` is a longitudinal section on the line a' x, Fig. 2; and Fig. et is a vertical cross-` section on the line z z.

A represents the furnace in which the metal is puddled or heated; B, the smoke-stack leading from furnace A. C is the fuel-chamber, the fuel being introduced through the hole c. Dis the grate. E is the gratewall, built with an angular or beveled face, so as to prevent `the fuel from entering or falling into the combustion-chamber. F is a wall built between the fuel-'chamber and the combustion-chamber,

or opening may be increased or lessened as' found desirable or convenient. H is the bridgewall of the furnace, against which the products of combustion strike in passing from the fuel chamber. On the face of this wall an offset or, cavity, h, is formed for the purpose of breaking up or diifusin g the current of smoke coming from the burning fuel. While the current is thus diffused a supply of oxygen is introduced and thoroughly combined with the smoke and other inflammable gases, enabling them to ignite more readily and pass upward and over the bridge into the body of the furnace in shape of ame, thereby insuring complete combustion of the carbon of the fuel and at the same time affording sufficient oxygen for decarbonizing, refining, and purifying the metal in the furnace. This I accomplish by means of a valve-chamber arranged within the bridge H, having a fiue or openin g, I, communicating with the outer air. K is a valve having a series of` holes, k, pierced through it, which corresponds with a series of holes, t', pierced through the wall of the valvechamber and leading into the recess h of the combustionchamber. This valve K is so arranged within the valve chamber that it may be moved back and forth by means of a lever, L, pivoted to the outer wall of the furnace, as shown by Figs. 1, 2, and4 of the drawing. m m m are ues leading to the combustion-chamber for the purpose of cleaning it out when necessary. N is a movable door or gate for the purposevof removing the ashes and.` cleaning the gratebars when necessary. O is. the charging-door of the furnace.

The operation of my improved furnace is as v cavity h. At this point, through the openings i k and I, air is admitted. The oxygen, combiningwith the carbon gases, incites combustion, resulting in aiiame,which completely consumes the smoke and increases the heat within the furnace, at the same time introducing a sufficiency of oxygen for the purpose of purifying and decarbonizing the metal under treatment in the furnace. When the fuel in the fuel-chamber has become hot enough to burn without generating snioke, the valve K may be adjusted, by means of the lever L, so as to decrease the volume of air admitted to the combustionchamber, or shut it off altogether, if desired;

and when fresh fuel is added tothe furnace the valve can again be adj usted to admit the air necessary to insure complete combustion.

To those skilled in the art further description of the operation of my improved furnace is deemed superfluous; and it will be obvious that the devices which I have herein shown and described may be applied to all furnaces` of this or similar construction Where the c011- I sumptionof smoke and a thorough combustion and utilization of all the heat-producing elements of the fuel are considerations of importance.

XVhat I claim as my invention is 1. A furnace havin g the Walls E and F, constructed, substantially as described, with passage e, operating in combination with a bridge- Wall having a cavity or recess, h, and airpas sa es i for the purpose specified.

2. The adjustable valve K, constructed, sub- .'stantially as described, with air-passages 7i',

operating in combination with the openings i Witnesses:

A. B. RICHMOND, Ron REISINGER. 

